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2005 Polaris Predator 500, Hitting the Trail

Now this is a worthy ride

It has been a couple years since
I have spent much time riding the Polaris Predator and what
a difference. Polaris has obviously been listening and
doing their homework. We have been doing some testing with the 2005
Polaris Predator Troy Lee Edition and have found this bike to be
night and day different from the Predator we rode a couple years
ago.

For 2005 Polaris added reverse, a ratchet-style
shifter, a new seat, and a taller steering stem for improved
ergonomics. The Troy Lee Edition also has Maxxis front and rear
radial tires, aluminum Fox shocks, front shock reservoirs, and
close ratio gears. Not to mention the cool graphics and orange /
black color scheme.

The TLD Predator is at home
out on the trail.

Trail Riding

We spent a significant amount of time just out
playing and trail riding. We figure that is really where this quad
fits in the scheme of things. Yes Polaris is backing Matt Smiley in
the GNCC circuit this year and he is in fact doing very well. But
for most buyers who are looking for a pure race machine I am not
sure that the Predator would be at the top of my list. Now for an
all around high performance trail machine I believe the 2005
Predator TLD should indeed be on the short list. The whole package
combines to make it a pleasure on the trail.

New seat and steering stem
greatly improve the comfort for 2005.

Ergonomics

The ergonomics are much improved and we found
the Predator very comfortable to ride. This was not the case with
previous versions of the Predator. The changes to the steering stem
and seat for 2005 seemed subtle but make a huge difference in the
feel of the Predator. When braking hard into corners the seat
design is such that you still tend to slide forward on to the gas
tank although it is much improved from older Predators.

The Fox Racing shocks work
great but could use some different springs.

Suspension

We found the suspension to work well for trail
riding and really like the aluminum Fox Racing shocks. They provide
a nice ride and have alot of adjustment. These shocks are
definitely one of the best you can get on a machine from the
factory. Our complaints is that we would like to see some different
springs on the shocks so as to allow the ride height to be lowered.
One test rider absolutely hated how tall the Predator sits. Heavier
riders and more casual did not notice the problem as much. We took
as much preload as possible out and the Predator sill sits very
tall. The shocks allow for more adjustment but then you have no
tension on the springs when the suspension unloads. We are sure
Alan at Precision Concepts could fix this problem very easily.

The transmission with new
ratchet style shifter makes for a huge improvement on the 2005 TLD
Predator

Transmission

Nice smooth shifting and reverse. The new
ratchet-style shift mechanism is a huge improvement over previous
Predators. We found the transmission to shift very nice and
smooth.The reverse is so nice to have when you need it. We don't
find that we use it very often but it sure is nice when you need
it. The placement of the knob worked well for us.

The Troy Lee gear ratios worked excellent for
casual trail riding but were a problem in race conditions. Spacing
between 4th and 5th was too far to keep the motor in its power band
and sweet spot. Revving all the way to the rev limiter before a 5th
gear shift still left the Predator 500 out of it's sweet spot and
the rider waiting for it to go.

The Predator handled small
jumps nicely. Some suspension adjustment was needed for large
jumps.

Summary

There is no question that this is the best
Predator yet. While there is still improvements that could be made
this is a machine that we would into be ashamed to own and have a
permanent spot in our garage. While we don't believe it is the best
fit for riders looking for a race machine, it is a great fit for
riders looking for a performance trail machine. At $6499 the TLD
Predator comes in at about $700 more than a Z400 and $300 more than
a 2005 Raptor. And as for the Orange color scheme, we love it. the
gray was just too blab and dreary. The Orange TLD predators stands
out in a crowd.